Membership Matters - Baptism or What?
As Leytonstone United Free Church is a local ecumenical partnership with the Baptist Union of Great Britain and the United Reform Church, we have agreed to maintain the two church rolls, for historical and legal reasons. When you decide to become a member of Leytonstone United Free Church, certain things are taken into account.
Have you been baptized as an infant, and are you now looking to confirm that baptism? If so, on the agreement of church meeting and your public profession of faith, you would be welcomed into membership of LUFC and added to the URC roll.
Is this your first commitment to Christ, and is God calling you to mark this by baptism? Believers’ Baptism is the usual way to celebrate this commitment. With the agreement of Church meeting, and upon your profession of faith through baptism, you would be welcomed into membership of LUFC with your name added to the Baptist roll.
What’s the difference after that? Actually, there is none. All members of LUFC are encouraged to prayerfully support both mainstream denominations in whatever way God calls us and through our prayers, as we serve God together .
Ways of Belonging to LUFC
Each person who joins a church comes with their own story. Personal reflections of your faith journey and your understanding of God, as well as an awareness 
of a certain theological tradition and style of worship.
At Leytonstone United Fee Church there is a history of a coming together of diverse people. Everyone is welcome at LUFC, and each person is important, valuable, loved and part of the church family.
Church membership begins with an individual commitment. To take on church membership is to publicly profess that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour. After this comes a commitment to journey together in faith with other members, and together we embrace the responsibilities to be the people of God by seeking His will for His people. We are then involved together in a commitment to witness to the Gospel and show God’s love in the wider community.
Church membership is both a privilege and a responsibility. The privilege of belong to God’s family, and the responsibility to pray and seek God’s mind for His Church in today's world.
Our Church Rules State
Membership shall be open to all who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and desire to be identified with the life and witness of this church, providing that the church is satisfied of the genuineness of that confession and desire through the procedures outlines in the church rules:
A member in good standing of any other Christian church may be admitted through a letter of transfer or its equivalent, subject to the approval of the church meeting
An applicant who is not already a member of a church or for whom no letter of transfer or equivalent is available may be considered for membership by a church meeting on the recommendation of the church council and on the applicant’s personal declaration of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord .
Church Meeting
Important issues in the life of the church are brought to the church meeting. We believe that God makes His will for the church known through the church meeting, and on certain matters of finance, buildings and personnel, only church members can exercise a vote, as they alone act as the governing body for the church. The Church meeting then sets apart certain members to the Church Council, who exercise spiritual leadership, oversight and administration
Being a Church Member
Is much more than meetings, it’s about:
A living relationship with God: through public commitment.
A living relationship with God’s people here in this particular place, committing yourself to be part of the body of followers the Lord has gathered together at LUFC.
Membership draws you into a place where Christ and his authority are made known for the church; through the joining of minds and hearts, seeking God’s will in Church meeting. It enables us to grow in faith; through the discussions that lead up to membership and beyond.
A strong membership committed to journeying together and giving of their time, talents and financial support empowers the church in worship, fellowship and mission. The more we are in relationship together, the greater our effectiveness. God made us to be connected to Himself and to each other, and membership is an excellent way to acknowledge this, and to express our covenant with Him and each other.
But what if membership is not for me at this time?
After prayerful consideration, if this is how you feel, then it is important that you continue to feel that you belong to LUFC. Whatever level your involvement we value you and we pray God will bless you richly as you worship and serve with us.
Useful Web-site Addresses
The Baptist Union of Great Britain
http://www.baptist.org.uk/
The United Reformed Church
http://www.urc.org.uk/
If you do need to know more information, or have any questions regarding Church membership, our minister Alison and members of Church Council will be happy to help.
Letters From friends
Our member Yvonne Phillips writes:
“Dear Friends
Surely if I decided to slip away quietly, a vacant seat would be noticed within our fellowship. Knowing this, I would never disappear without saying ‘goodbye’, and of course I will be keeping in touch. Before any further ado, I want to quote the third verse of one of my favourite hymns:
‘Can a woman’s tender cares
Cease towards the child she bears?
Though she may forgetful be
Yet will I remember thee.’
Being myself a mother, I know that regardless of the age of one’s children, love and tender care never ceases. Recently my own mother had a fall – she is 93! I give God thanks and praise for the active and wonderful life she has enjoyed, although recently she has experienced some health problems that are causing concern. Without further hesitation I decided to travel to be by her side, and went home to Guyana on 24 th November, praying for God’s blessings and guidance as I journeyed.
I know that I shall be missing my church family, but I’ll express my feelings with this verse:
‘When we asunder part
It gives us inward pain
But we shall still be joined in heart
And hope to meet again’
Yvonne”
It was very good to receive a letter from Claire (and Gavin) Johnstone in Singapore:
“Hi, everyone: So, we are living in a condo, a kind of gated community with security by the gate. This seems to be fairly normal. We share the sports facilities (pool, tennis courts, children's play area) with about 200 other apartments. So, the floor space is about the same as we had in London minus the garden and loft. We do however have good balconies, so I'll have to get a few pots out.
Gavin works very hard and comes back usually at 8 or 9 pm, and is at last beginning to make head or tail of the equations (prayers that he will manage to learn the right things at the right time and find the time in his busy week to do the necessary background reading, would be much appreciated). At first I found it really hard not having a role here. Now I have managed to get some part-time work (15 hours until the end of March) at the Teaching Institute helping students with Geography tutorials and a field trip.
It's amazing how different life is when you are not working full time. Here we are suddenly not tired all the time and it's just so much easier to get involved in church as a result. I remember in London, I just felt that all my time was spent working, cleaning and keeping in touch with family and friends. Just getting to church on a Sunday and Kaleidoscope was more than enough. I just didn't have the energy. Suddenly I have time in my week than I had before and so things are a lot easier.
We have locked into the International Baptist Church who have an excellent women's ministry. They have a “newbie” group of which I am a part. Most are American expats who are here with their hubbies for a couple of years. They are a fun bunch and very easy going. We have made some good friends within this group. The church also has an English Language teaching ministry which I am getting involved in. We are just getting a new interim pastor from the Philippines; please pray for us all.
So suddenly we have some friends and are settling in well. We are also learning that mould/mildew grows quickly here unless you wipe things down/air things regularly. In fact just shopping and cleaning and washing seem to take longer here. I think it's because of the humidity. Things have to get washed after one day (too smelly otherwise) and food doesn't keep as long so you need to shop little and often for fresh produce. As a result, our laundry basket is always growing, too.
Many thanks for your prayers for us. They are much appreciated.
Missing you all…
Claire Johnstone.